fall 2010 - alexander mcqueen last works

McQueen had turned away from the world of the Internet, which he had so powerfully harnessed in his last show. "He wanted to get back to the handcraft he loved, and the things that are being lost in the making of fashion," she said. "He was looking at the art of the Dark Ages, but finding light and beauty in it. He was coming in every day, draping and cutting pieces on the stand." The 16 outfits shown had been 80 percent finished at the time of his death.

(style.com)

Mcqueenova zadnja modna revija. Pravijo, da se je pri nastajanju te kolekcije čisto odmaknil od virtualnega sveta in iskal navdih v mračnih časih, zraven pa dodajal svetlobo in lepoto.

80% outfitov je bilo dokončanih pred njegovo smrtjo!

I love the boots but I'm not sure about the skirts. I mean.. ok.. they look great on the models but if you have 5 pounds more it would be a disaster.

Čevlji so čudoviti, krilo pa se mi zdi zelo delikatno - na puncah s par kilogrami več bi namreč izpadlo obupno. :S

I want those boots!!

Hočem te škornje!

Pure perfection!

Weekend Reading - The Complete Claudine

For some reason, I'm not sure why, I've never seemed to get around to reading anything by Colette.
So, I recently started reading Claudine at School, the first book in The Complete Claudine.
Unfortunately I find every character in the book, and most importantly the main character Claudine,  totally unsympathetic.  In spite of the fact that I'm not enjoying the read, I will slog through the book because I find 19th Century and Belle Epoque history interesting.
As for Colette herself, I would like to read a well written biography. Can anyone suggest one?  Ms. Cavendish perhaps? Forget the lesbian affairs, what I would really like to know is why she seduced her 16 year old step son when she was 40 and continued the affair for 5 years.  Yes I know, how very French.

Everyday Winged Liner: Lauren Conrad Makeup Howto

Products Used:
MAC Painterly Paint Pot
MAC eye shadows:
Vapour
Soft Brown
Glamour Check (or Bronze)
Phloof!
Loreal Carbon Black Liner Intense
Cover Girl Lashblast mascara
MAC So Ceylon Mineralized Skinfinish (or any bronzer with light shimmer)
MAC Cantaloupe powder blush (MAC Pro)
NARS Albatross highlighting powder
YSL Golden Gloss #20

(not shown in video: Lancome Tient Idole Freshwear Foundation)

Sharing the LOVE

And what's not to love?

Go over to Fashion's Most Wanted and share the love with Christina for Love Magazine

Mid-Summer Musings About Travel

Since it is mid-summer and I have this on my mind

I thought that I would share with you this article from the WSJ

A Hotel Executive on How to Get Good Service

When Mr. James is checking into a hotel, he always makes sure he's nicely dressed. Typically he'll show up in a suit or slacks and a jacket. "If you look the part, you'll tend to get looked after a little bit better," he says.

I tend to agree with this advice as I've found from many years of travelling.  Certainly the better I am dressed, the better I am treated. So for me no shorts, t-shirts or flip flops for travel attire.

This summer I can't get my act together for a trip to the south of France but the gorgeous (and talented in a DIY way) Tabitha has posted about her swanky sojourn at the Eden Roc, Hotel du Cap and more. 

Check out her Bourbon and Pearls blog.

And as for travel attire, do not miss James Andrew's posts about his recent trip through Italy.  I particularly love what he wore to La Sireneuse. He must get incredible service. But I wonder, with all his fabulous clothes, how many suitcases does he travel with. Check out his What is James Wearing blog.

What do you wear when you travel and do you think that it makes any difference at all in how you are treated?

Man Fashion: Summer Office Styles

Spring is definitely over and summer is where we are now. You want to stay cool at work, and you’re not just thinking temperature. If you’re not working at Microsoft, Google, or any of the big tech companies, chances are you don’t get the luxuries of wearing whatever you want. So how can you stay cool in the hot sun without being in the hot seat? Below are some pointers to get you started, and examples on how to use these guidelines to work for you.

Think about fabric: Pima cotton is breathable, versatile for all season, and has outstanding quality for clothing. Cotton blends, particularly with stretch wool or rayon/viscose, are great during the summer and keep your clothes fitted to your body. Linen is definitely a must-have in summer attire.

Think of colors: Try mixing bolder shades of spring pastel hues to “spring” into summer. Bold and vibrant colors can look cool and still be comfortable, such as various shades of purple, orange, and blues. Earth and neutral tones – like olives, tans, and browns – are definitely a standard and can look professional with minimal effort. Whites and greys are staples and versatile even when paired with bolder colors to accentuate your personal look. Minimize wearing black as much as possible. If you do wear black, get that in breathable fabrics like linen or cotton chinos, or look for it in subtle patterns.

Think of your workplace: Format your attire based on the dynamic of your workplace. Don’t wear sandals or flip flops if your work does not call for it.



Putting It All Together



No matter what fabrics, color and workplace, the most important of summer office wear is able to give you comfort and express individual personal styles.

LVMH - Why Is This Man Smiling?

I've always thought that we lived in a world with an oversupply of luxury goods and that in the event of a deep recession a strong correction was bound to hit the large luxury goods conglomerates. Apparently I was wrong.  But I do wonder, where does all the growth come from? China?

Yes, I'd be smiling too if I were Bernard Arnault

From the WSJ
LVMH First-Half Profit Soars, Showing Luxury's Return
PARIS–French luxury goods behemoth LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton Tuesday reported a 53% jump in first half net profit, heralding a strong return of high-end consumption and, in a departure from cautiousness seen in previous quarters, expressed confidence in the rest of the year.
All divisions, from perfume to wine posted double digit sales growth with the highest increase coming from watches and jewelry, up 28%... 
not that you asked but

The Christian Dior Group (Paris:CDI) recorded revenue of 9.5 billion euros in the first half of 2010, an increase of 16%. Organic growth (at comparable structure and exchange rates) stood at 14% compared to the same period in 2009. The Group performed particularly well in Asia, the United States and Europe.

Profit from recurring operations in the first half of 2010 increased by 33% to 1,812 million euros.

Group share of net profit increased by 68% to 422 million euros. 

Jewelry Biz- Stephen Webster Will Open 1st US Store on Rodeo Drive

 Jewellery brand Stephen Webster is opening a flagship US store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
From Retail Jeweller
The retail space design will mirror the London and European mono-brand boutiques, which incorporate Stephen Webster’s signature style of glamour with a rock and roll edge. The space will combine Webster’s love for traditional craftsmanship with his passion for contemporary music, fashion and art to produce a modern, unconventional retail aesthetic for showcasing his collections.

“The store on Rodeo Drive will be our first flagship in the US,” said founder and creative director Stephen Webster. “Over the past 10 years we have built strong ties with the LA community including the world of entertainment based there. The opening of this store is set to be extremely significant in our development.”

He added: “This project is very exciting to me and my team who feel that the Stephen Webster brand is shifting to become an all encompassing lifestyle experience”.

Well, I'm not going to make my usual snarky 'well there goes the neighborhood' comment about this.  We welcome all retail jewelers to the neighborhood.  The more jewelers on the street, the better for our business.

Besides, I love Stephen Webster's whole glam rock vibe and his crystal haze jewelry.  God knows that Loree Rodkin needs some local competition.
Plus...now that we have the new Tom Ford store about to open a couple of doors away, we might as well have Stephen Webster on the block too. 
And just think, soon we will all be able to go up and down  Rodeo Drive and experience, boutique by boutique, each all encompassing lifestyle experience!

Stephen Webster Tsavorite and Tahitian Pearl Earrings $1450

Or, we could skip all the retail 'lifestyle' hype and just buy our jewelry online from Beladora.com.

Paris Fashion Week Spring 2010/2011 Trends

2011 Fall Winter Fashion Trends

For fall or winter seasons, colours those we put on could being as lively as possibles. Fall fashion trends, Sometimes though gray appears to being next good factor on colours as 2011, on fall or winter we needs to cheer top with few hot color. Fall fashion trends, Get red, orange and yellow or combine those with gray or brown. sweaters those we put on could being on most colorful combination: concept to get little of colour on you. boots those we put on shouldn’t being dull. Yellow and green good as latest trend trends. accessories could being colorfuls as well, or we could being of huge sizes. Though we need to purchase bag, select additional huge length or strange color. For detail visit here

Real Bride: Flat Twist Bun

Courtesy of Shaundra Coleman
Stylist: Kolandra Watkins
Photographer: Mallory Gordon of Blanton Photography
Richmond, VA

Fashion Design Business

Get a Job as a Fashion Designer or
Start Your Own
Fashion Design Business

As a fashion designer, you will have a creative and

exciting career that many people only dream about.

Design by Louis de Gama

There are many fashion design career paths for you to

choose from. Some fashion designers work for top

houses such as Tommy Hilfiger and Chanel. Others

are employed by mass-market manufacturers of men's,

women's and children's apparel. children's

Or you could start your own fashion design business,

establishing a distinctive style and overseeing fashion

creation from initial concept to manufacturing and distribution.

In this field, there is a long history of people rising from

humble beginnings to become fashion designer stars.

• Laura Ashley got her start as a secretary.
• Vera Wang began designing when she became engaged at age 39 and couldn't find a suitable wedding gown for the mature first bride.
• Ralph Lauren was born into a middle-class family who lived in the Bronx, and used to buy suits with his pocket money at age 12. He is now one of the richest and most famous fashion designers in the world.

Of course, it takes hard work, creativity, and a true passion for

fabulous designs to achieve success as a fashion designer,

but you can break into this career much more quickly and easily

How to Wear Vintage Animal Brooches

A couple of days ago I wrote a post about blogger Jane Aldridge and her menagerie of vintage animal brooches.  It's one thing to wear a discreet little grouping of bee brooches on your lapel, it's another thing entirely to wear an entire zoo on your jacket. 
So here is how I like to action (verb totally stolen from FF) a vintage animal brooch. 
Wear one quality statement piece, like this gemstone fish, for impact
and leave the menagerie at home.

Right now I'm loving this beautiful brooch in mother of pearl, pink tourmaline and diamonds in 18K. This is one of the prettiest animal brooches that I have seen in a long time with each piece of mother of pearl and pink tourmaline cleanly cut to fit the design.
(Not to mention that I like wearing a tropical fish on my on my summer LBD because it is the closest I've gotten to a beach vacation in ages....and I'm desperate for one.)

Not too big...not too small, but certainly impressive with 3 plus carats of bright white diamonds.
So what do you think, would you wear this vintage brooch?

it's my b-day :)

and I was partying the last 4 days so today I'm at home :DD

I got the phillips toothbrush sonicare flexcare. Love it soooo much :)

have a great evening everyone!

Twisted Prep or How to Wear Your Hilfiger Duck Boots

Tommy Hilfiger's tailgating ad campaign is continuing to get play in the blogosphere, with Look Muffy An Ad Campaign For Us! at Habitually Chic.  Perhaps for me there is more nostalgia for the vintage 1980's Jeep Wagoneer than excitement about the actual clothes themselves.  Still, now that I see Hilfiger's OTK duck boots in action in this photo, I'm becoming more partial to them.

Christy Turlington by Steven Meisel and Karl Templar - Modern and Classic Indeed

If you haven't already picked up the latest edition of Italian Vogue...go out and spend $18 to buy it right now!

The Christy Turlington cover story photographed by Steven Meisel and styled by Karl Templar is one of the most beautiful fashion editorials that I have ever seen.  (and I'm not just saying that because Beladora was asked to provide jewlery for the shoot, which they didn't use but was fine with us because the jewlery was barely noticable)  Each of Turlington's looks were wonderful, from the big hair to the fabulous frocks to the gorgeous gloves to the stylish shoes, and she has never looked more beautiful.

Vintage Brooches - When Too Much Actually Is Too Much

Usually when I get dressed up I pile on the jewelry.  In fact when it comes to estate jewlery our office motto is "too much is never enough".  But sometimes wearing it all at one time is better as an idea than a reality.
My case in point Jane Aldridge of Sea of Shoes
the society/vintage/her mother has a huge closet/debutante blogger

I've blogged before about how much I love vintage brooches...especially animal brooches
but really, this is out of control.
Now, if you can get beyond the over-brooched photos of Miss Aldridge she links to the incredible website of photographer Douglas Friedman who shoots portraits, interiors,celebrity homes and architecture.
Here's an example of his work

I have no idea where this celebrity home is...but I want to live there

And I'm just loving this pool in the middle of what looks like an olive grove.  Very nice.
Check out his website.

Creme of Nature featuring Argan Oil

So I really hope all you ladies follow me on Twitter! I'm @antihairslave just in case you didn't already know. Anyway, if you do then you would already know that Creme of Nature is launching a brand new collection available this Wednesday featuring Argan Oil.

The New Creme of Nature Argan Oil Collection features:

Replenishing Sheen Spray

Intensive Conditioning Treatment

Foaming Wrap Lotion

Gloss & Shine Mist

Gloss & Shine Polisher

Milan's Master Hatter

From the WSJ an interesting article on the demise of craftsmanship

Milan's master hat maker Lorenzo Borghi tells his tale; a slowly dying art

Today, Mr. Borghi is 70 years old, but he can still be found working in the shop from dawn to dusk at least six days a week.

He mostly works alone, relying on his wife and a friend for help when the orders pile up. He has no apprentice, and past attempts to teach younger generations have proved unsuccessful. "The first thing they ask is 'How much are you gonna pay me?'" says Mr. Borghi. "Then they ask 'Do I have to work weekends, too?'"

He doesn't say it, but the contempt is clear in his voice and expression. While it is tempting to dismiss Mr. Borghi's critiques as simple intergenerational mistrust, it is equally difficult to imagine the young, iPhone-equipped Italians lounging around in the piazza nearby spending their days as the septuagenarian maestro does, hunched over an ancient wooden desk, struggling to get this fold just right or adjust that feather to the correct height. "The hardest part is finding talented hands," he says. "I could teach the rest."

I find it interesting that in a high fashion city like Milan, a master craftsman can't find good help.  Aren't there fashion students who want to learn the skill of bespoke hat making and maybe be the next Philip Treacy?

Luckily, his and other Italian master craftsman's skills are being documented on film.

Recently an Italian company called Valore Italiano, or "Italian Quality," began filming Mr. Borghi and other artisans like him as part of an initiative to create a visual documentary of their skills that can be used to teach future generations. "These master craftsmen are national treasures," says Mario Pirolli, president of Valore Italiano and artificer of the initiative. "We have to try and salvage what we can before their knowledge and experience are lost for good."

Excellent, because fashion wouldn't be as much fun without great hats

Don't you agree?

How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes

We all know that quality makeup brushes can be quite an investment. Makeup brushes, to me, are just as important as the cosmetics themselves where overall results are concerned. Properly cleaning them not only keeps the brushes themselves nice and well-conditioned, but it can keep your skin cleaner and clearer as well. Keep your brushes performing their best by following a few easy cleaning tips and methods from my tutorial below so they'll stay perfect for years to come!




-Tiffany

Billionaires Behaving Badly or Those Pesky Problems With Yachts

Oh those yachts....they can be such headaches!

First we have John (taxes are for the little people) Kerry and his brand new $7,000,000 yacht 'Isabel' which he chose to dock in Rhode Island instead of his home state of Massachusetts in order to save $500K in taxes.
If the Isabel were kept at the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee's summer vacation home on Nantucket or in Boston Harbor near his city residence, he would be liable for $437,500 in one-time sales tax. He would also have to pay $70,000 in annual excise taxes.

Pretty little sloop, isn't she?
I do love this quote from Boston.com
"While we can fault the senator for his hypocrisy on taxes or having his boat built halfway around the world instead of here in the USA, John Kerry proves an important point that taxes in Massachusetts are too high. If they are too high for someone as rich as Senator Kerry, they are absolutely too high for working-class taxpayers who are being squeezed at every turn," said a statement issued by party Chairwoman Jennifer Nassour.

And then we have billionaire US Democratic Senate Candidate, Jeff Greene and his yacht 'Summerwind'.

From Tampabay.com
Summerwind — like a 14-story building turned on its side — accommodates about 10 guests in five suites. Greene boasted to Forbes in 2008 that he practically stole it for $6 million in 2002. It may have been a bargain purchase, but it costs about $100,000 to fill up the tank on Summerwind, which burns about 50 gallons of fuel an hour.
Apparently tax savvy Jeff Greene registered his yacht in the tax haven Marshall Islands instead of in his home state of Florida.

God, I so hate hypocrisy and the 'Do as I say, not as I do' politicians who vote for taxes for everyone else, yet avoid paying their own.
And...while I'm on a rant...as if the US House isn't already enough of an embarrassment
WASHINGTON – House Democrats and Republicans have put aside their differences this year to honor the likes of golfer Phil Mickelson, the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team, NASCAR driver Jimmy Johnson and the Penn State women's volleyball team.

But when it came time this week to memorialize the start of the 142nd season of the Saratoga race course in New York, one freshman lawmaker decided he'd had enough.
"It's an absolute embarrassment," said Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah, announcing on the House floor a vow to vote against all future sports resolutions.
Why is it the business of the US House of Representatives to honor or memorialize any sports related person or event?  Is that was they were voted into office to do?
Apparently last year in the House there was a vote to commemorate the 2560th anniversary of the birth of Confucius...why is that deemed worthy of the time of our elected leaders?

Wouldn't you think that they would be more concerned with dealing with the $1.47 trillion deficit  or the fact that The median duration of unemployment is higher today than any time in the last 50 years. That's an understatement. It is more than twice as high today than any time in the last 50 years.

And don't even get me started on the $604K spent on bottled water or the $563K spent on new carpets, the $317K spent on new drapes and the $2.5 million spent on new furniture for the US House...during a recession
What Congress Bought Itself With Your $1 Billion
 
OK, rant over....I'm going to go read fashion blogs now and think happy thoughts

Music - The Bravery - Believe

Jewelry Biz - Chopard's New Collection At The Frick

From the WSJ

The Celebration for Chopard's 150 year anniversary at the Frick Museum in New York 

with lots of sparkling stuff from their new animal themed collection

Although I'm not quite sure what I think about this diamond kitten necklace in the $700,000 range

or this diamond parrot necklace for $1,000,000 or so.

A couple of years ago it was all about sea themed collections
Now it's all about animals
go figure